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What happens to secondary cards and account when primary cardholder dies??

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What happens to secondary cards and account when primary cardholder dies??

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Old Apr 3, 2008, 10:30 pm
  #1  
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What happens to secondary cards and account when primary cardholder dies??

My apologies if this seems like a foolish question - and I did do a search for related threads to no avail - so here goes: What happens when the primary cardholder dies? Does Amex automatically get notified via the credit reporting bureaus? Are they automatically notified from some death certificate/SS # reporting? And what happens to the secondary cardholders accounts if there are outstanding balances? I would appreciate any input on this - especially from the experts like Kagehitokiri and MIA . Thanks.
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Old Apr 3, 2008, 10:41 pm
  #2  
 
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top secret methods are used to determine when someone dies so I can not disclose but it involves the credit bureau as a conduit. The account is closed including the secondary. Depending on what information was given and signed the secondary can be held responsible for charges. I believe there was a famous new york case that involved a famous character, sado masochism, death, charges made after the death for gold items turned to cash with an amex.
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Old Apr 5, 2008, 1:31 pm
  #3  
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Originally Posted by Centurion
top secret methods are used to determine when someone dies so I can not disclose but it involves the credit bureau as a conduit.
"Top Secret" such as the use of the Social Security Death Index?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_...ty_Death_Index
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Old Apr 5, 2008, 10:52 pm
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Normally, if the deceased has a will, the executor will thus become the person responsible for probate of the will and payment of bills due to creditors who can establish a claim with the estate.

If there is no will, then the card company is pretty much SOL unless they can get the court to appoint an court-appointed administrator of said estate to disburse funds to the card company provided the company can prove the debt by said deceased person.

Sanosuke!
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